Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-07-27
watering the Sheep"
A SCENE IN MESOPOTAKIA, BEAU.
TIFULLY PASTORAL.

A SCENE I'm MESOPOTAMIA, BEAU
TIFULLY pastoral.
OH, THIS is A THIRSTY WORLD
MEN WHO ARE KEPT FROM THE
WATER OF LIFE.
WORDS OF COMFORT TO SHRINK
ING SOULS.
DIR. TALMAeE's SERMON, SUNDAY, JULY II
THE HAMPTONs, July 17th.-The Rev. T.
Dewitt Talmage, D. D., pastor of the Brook
lyn Tabernacle, continues to enjoy the sum
mer in this pleasant place. His sermon fol
day was on the text: "We cannot, until
all the focks be gathered together, and TIL
they roll the stone from the wells month
then we water the esheep''-Genesis, xxx, g.
A scene in Mesopotamia, beautifully pas
toral. A well of water of great value in
that region. The fields around about ii
white with three iocks of fsheep1ying down
waiting for the watering. l hear their
bleating coming on the bright air, and the
laughter of young men and maidens in
1
see other fiocks of sheep coming. Mean
while, Jacob, stranger, on the interesting
errand of looking for wife comes to the
same we'll. see her approaching, followed
by her fathers flock of sheep. 1t was a
memorable meeting. Jacob married that
shepherdess. The Bible account of it is:
"Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up hi 8
voice and wept." 1t has always been a
mystery to me what he found to cry about J
But before that scene occurred, Jacob &C
costs the shepherds and asks them why they
postpone the slaking of the Thirst of these
sheep, and why they did not Immediately
proceed to water them. The shepherds re-
ply to the effect: "We are all good neigh
bors, and as matter Of courtesy we wait
until all the sheep of the neighborhood come
up. Besides that, this stone on the wells
mouth is somewhat heavy, and several of us
take hold of it and push it aside, and then
the buckets and the troughs are filled and
the sheep are satisfied. We cannot, until
all the fiocks are gathered together, and till
they roll the stone from the wells mouth;
then we water the Sheep"
Oh, this is thirsty world! Hot for the
head, and blistering for the feet, and parch-
ing for the tongue. The worlds great want
is cool, refreshing, satisfying draught.-
We wander around and We find the cistern
empty. Long and tedious drought has dried
up the worlds fountains. but nearly nine
teen centuries ago, Shepherd, with a
crook in the shape of a cross, and feet cut
to the bleeding, explored the desert passage
of this world, and one day came across a
well thousand feet deep, bubbling and
bright, and opalescent, and looked to the
north, and the south, and the east, and the
west, and cried out with a voice strong and
musical that rang through the ages: "Ho,
every one that thirsteth, come yet 10 the
waters!'
Now great flock of sheep to-day gather
around this Gospel well. There are great
many thirsty souls. [ wonder why the
flocks of all nations do not gather-why so
many stay thirsty; and while am wonder
ing about it, my text breaks forth in the
explanation, saying: "We cannot, until all
the focks be gathered together. and till
they roll the stone from the wells mouth;
then we water the Sheep"
fla herd of swine come to we'll they
angrily jostle each other for the precedence:
if drove of cattle come to we'll, they
hook each other back from the water, but
when flock of sheep come, though hun
dred of them shall be disappointed, they
only express it by sad bleating; they come
together peacefully. We want a great
multitude to come around the Gospel we'll.
I know there arg those who do rot like a
crowd-they think a crowd is vulgar. If
they are oppressed for room in church it
makes them positively impatient and bel
ligerent. We have had people permanent
ly leave our church because so many other
people come to it. Not so did these Orien-
tai shepherds. They waited until all the
focks were gathAed, and the more flooks
that came the better they liked it. And SO
we ought to be anxious that all the people
should come. Go out into the highways and
the hedges and compel them to come in
Go to the rich and tell them they are indi-
gent without the Gospel of Jesus. Go to
the poor and tell them the aff1uence there is
in Christ. Go to the blind and tell them of
the touch that gives eternal Illumination
Go to the lame and tell them of the joy that
will make the lame man leap like hart
Gather all the sheep off of all the noun
tains. None so torn of the dogs, none SO
sick, none so worried, none SO dying, as to
be omitted. Why not gather a great flock?
All Brooklyn in flock; all New York in a
flock; all London in flock; all the world in
flock. This well of the Gospel is deep
enough to put out the burning thirst of the
twelve hundred million of the race. Do not
let the church by a spirit of exclusiveness,
keep the world ont. Let down all the bars,
swing open all the gates, scatter all the in
vitations: "Whosoever will, let him come"
Come, white and black. Come, red men of
the forest. Come, Laplander, out of the
snow. Come, Patagonian, out of the heat.
Come in furs. Come painting under palm
leaves. Como one. Come all. Come
A. 81 all of otnx -
Jacob and Rachel were betrothed, so this
morning, at this well of salvation, Christ
our Shepherd will meet you coming up
with your long flocks of cares and anxieties,
and he will stretch out His hand in pledge
of His affection, while all heaven will cry
out: "Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye
out to meet Him.
You notice that this we'll of Mesopotamia
had a stone on it, which must be removed
before the sheep could be watered; and l
find on the well of salvation to-day impedl-
ments and obstacles which must be remov-
ed in order that You may obtain the refresh
ment and life of this Gospel. In your case
the impediment is pride of heart. You can
not bear to come to SO democratic a fouu-
tain; you do not want to come with so many
others. 1t is to you like when you are dry,
coming to town pump, as compared to Sit
ting in parlor slipping out Of chased
chalice which has just been lifted from a
silver salver. Not so many publicans and
sinners. You want to get to heaven, but it
must be in a special Car, with your feet on
a Turkish ottman and band Of music on
board the train. You do not want to be in
company with rustic Jacob and Rachel, and
to be drinking out of the fountain where ten
thousand sheep have been drinking before
you. You will have to move the obstacle
of pride, OR never find your way to the we'll.
You will have to come as we came,
willing to take the water of life in any way,
and at any hand, and in any kind of pitch
er, crying ont: ooh, Lord Jesus, | am dying
of thirst. Give me the water of eternal life,
whether in trough or goblet; give me the
water of life; I care not in what it comes to
me-" Away with all your hindrances of
pride from the wells mouth.
Here is another man who is kept back
from this water of life by the stone OF an
obdurate heart, which lies over the mouth
of the we'll. You have no more feeling up